Heater and air circulator



Nov. 12, 1940. H. v. MooNEY 2,221,547

HEATER AND AIR CIRCULATOR Filed Aug. 15, 1938 2 Sheets-Shea*I FIEE. h 5

Nov. 12, 1940. H. v. MOONEY v 2,221,547

HEATER AND AIR CIRCULATOR Filed Aug. l5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l: :l: I \44 Arran/v?.

Patented Nov. 12, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE HEATER AND AIR CIRCULATOB Application August 15, 1938, Serial No. 224,978 3 claims. (o1. 21o-39)' This invention relates to and has for an object the provision of an improved heating device which may be advantageously embodied in a cabinet-like structure, such as an electric or gas c range, or in an independent cabinet or otherwise, with, however, provision being made for an enclosure, or compartment open to the atmosphere so as to provide air inlet and outlet facilities, and further provided with a heating l means and an air circulating medium such as a fan or the like, together with manual or automatic, or both manual and automatic control means, whereby air at prevailing or higher temperatures may be circulated as in a room, for

ib circulating air therein or for heating purposes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stove or range which includes as a unit thereof, a compartment containing a heating means and a motor driven fan for circulating air in and heating the room in which the range is installed.

Ak further object is to provide a range heating unit such as described which may be conveniently embodied in -a utility drawer of or otherwise installed in a range, without requiring alteration or changing the appearance of the range.

I have shown in the accompanying drawings preferred forms of the heater and air circulator of my invention, subject however, to modication within the scope of the appended claims,

without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l represents a longitudinal sectional view of a heater and air circulator unit constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention, for use as a part of an electric range or other cooking stove;

Fig. 2 represents a sectional view taken on the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the unit with the heating element and motor-driven fan removed;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an electric range equipped with the heating and air circulating unit of this invention;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical 4circuit for controlling the air circulating and heating unit;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View of the invention as embodied in gas ranges;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the plane of line 1 1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the plane of line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the gas burner unit, showing the flow of gas to the burner and the control means therefor;

Fig. 10 is a wiring diagram as to the electrical units and circuits therefor, as used in the gas unit hereof;

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of a gas range as equipped with the heater and air circulator of this invention.

'I'he embodiment of this invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive in the accompanying drawings, includes an electric range A wherein a utility drawer B or other like structure is previded with an air inlet C and an air outlet l?! and forms with a shell or like structure E a passage or compartment F registering at its ends with said -inlet and outlet. A motor-driven fan G and a heating means H are mounted in or adjacent said compartment, whereby upon appropriate manipulation of a control switch J on said drawer, air at room temperature or heated by said element, may be circulated in the room in which the range is installed, to either ventilate or heat the room or both. With this arrangement it is seen that the heating and air circulating'unit may be readily and easily installed in a range in substitution for the ordinary utility drawer. Other than the severa openings providing the air outlet D and the control switch J on the front of the drawer, a range thus equipped has the same appearance and is of the same size or bull: as when provided with the usual utility drawer.

As here shown, the shell structure E providing the compartment F consists of a cylindrical portion i fixed to the rear wall of the drawer B so as to register with the air inlet opening C in said Wall. The outer end of the cylindrical portion i is connected with an angular sheet metal portion 3 which, together with the bottom wall 4 of the drawer, forms an enlarged mouth portion of the compartment F in registration with the air outlet openings D formed in the front wall 5 of said drawer. However, any suitable structure may be used for defining a chamber or compartment which, with the air circulating and heating means hereof, will provide in the range a unit for heating or cooling the room in which the range is installed.

The motor-driven ian G is mounted within the cylindrical portion I and is arranged to circulate air currents thru the compartment F. The heating means H is here shown as an electric element which is mounted in said cylindrical portion or otherwise disposed whereby to heat the air prior to its discharge from the compartment F.

The control switch J is mounted upon the front wall 5 of the drawer B and provides for control of the heating means and the fan so that air at prevailing or room temperatures or heated by said element may be circulated thru the compartment F into the room in which the range is installed. Control means is provided so that the heating unit may be automatically started and stopped at predetermined times, and as here shown this is accomplished thru the time control clock K such as usually provided in ranges, said clock being connected with the switch J. 'Ihis arrangement will provide for an automatic heating of a room or kitchen with the means of this invention at predetermined times.

As shown in Fig. 5 the switch J is movable from off position into position to operate the fan while the heating element is deenergized, or into position to operate the fan and heating element simultaneously, or into position to automatically control thru the clock K, the operation of said heating element and fan. In Fig. 5 the switch is shown diagrammatically in the ofi position. When manipulated to operate the fan only the contacts 1 and 8 are engaged and current flows from the line conductor 9 thru said contacts, conductor I0, fan motor G, conductor II, a portion of the heating element H and thence to the other line conductor I2. Due to the small amount of current necessary to operate the fan motor, the portion of the heating element in series therewith will not be sulciently energized to give oi an appreciable heat and therefore the fan will circulate air in the room at room or prevailing temperatures. When the switch is moved to the heat position the contacts I3 and I4 connect the line conductor 9 with the cor:- ductor I5 leading to the heating element H and this energizes the entire coil so as to heat the air passing thru the compartment F. The switch J is arranged so that at the same time that coni tacts I3 and I4 are engaged, the contacts 1 and 8 are also engaged and therefore the fan G and heating element are simultaneously operated, the fan blowing the air thru the heater and thence thru outlet E into the room.

When it is desired to have the heater and fan simultaneously operated at a predetermined time, as determined by the time control clock K, the switch is moved to the automatic position, whereupon contacts I6, I1 and I8 are engaged, while contacts 1 and 8 and I3 and I4 are disengaged. The clock mechanism K operates thru a cam I9 or other means, the circuit closer 20. One element of this circuit closer is connected by a conductor 2i with the line conductor 9, whereas the other element of said circuit closer is connected with the contact member I6 by means of the conductor 22. Thus at the selected time the clock will close the circuits for the fan G and heating element H. The control means may be arranged so that the circuit will remain closed for a predetermined time as determined by the setting of the clock mechanism, in the same manner as is well known for controlling the oven or other heating elements f the range.

While the invention hereof is primarily designed for use in connection with electric ranges, it is seen that it may be used with equal eillcacy in other cabinet-like structures and in conjunction with household appliances other than ranges.

Although the invention hereof primarily consists of a unit including the ian and the heating means in a compartment extending thru the body of the stove structure, thru which compartment air will circulate, it is to be understood that I mayeliminate either the heating means or the fan and in either case provide for advantages in accordance with this invention.

Instead of an electric heater I may, as shown in Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive, employ a gas heater whereby to adapt the heater and air circulator of this invention to gas ranges. In accordance with this form oi' the invention, a supporting structure, for example, as in a typical gas range designated L and shown in Fig. 11, is constructed to form a compartment M corresponding to the one F in the other form of the invention. Associated with this compartment is a gas heating unit N and a means O for inducing a ilow oi' air therethru, together with control devices in an arrangement similar to that shown in the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 hereof. The compartment M may be embodied in a drawer or other structure P so that it may be mounted in a drawer opening of the gas range. The structure P is provided with an air inlet 25 at its rear end which may be communicated with the atmosphere as thru an opening 26 in the back of the range. At the frontend of the structure P is a suitable outlet, such as for example the openings 21, for discharging air at prevailing temperature or heated by the gas heater N. As here provided, the heater N Includes a gas burner 28 suitably supported beneath the compartment M. A gas feed pipe 29 extends to the burner and a, similar line 30 is provided for a pilot 3|. Products of combustion and heat from the burner will rise upwardly thru heater tu'bes 32 which extend thru the compartment M so as to heat the air in the latter. These tubes discharge into a header 33 embodied in the structure P, in communication with opposite sides of which header are rearwardly and horizontally extending flues 34 and 35 for carrying oi! the products oi combustion. These ilues may be provided on the sides of the structure P. and terminate in tubular proections 36 and 31 adapted to telescopically engage or otherwise communicate with similar projections y3l! and 35 of ilues 40. The ues 40 may be embodied in the range structure and connected in any manner with the flue outlet of' said range or otherwise arranged.

As here shown the means O for inducing a ow of air thru the compartment is in the form of a motor driven fan which may be lmounted in the rear part of the compartment between the tubes 32 and intake opening 25 or otherwise disposed so that it will induce a ilow of air thru said compartment.

The electrical energy for operating the means O is supplied from a source connected conductor 4I thru the motor 'of said means and thence thru a conductor 42 to manually operable circuit closer 43 which may be mounted on the i'ront of the structure P, and from said circuit closer thru conductor 44 to the other source connected conductor 45. It is thus seen that the means O may be started and stopped at will by manipulation of the circuit closer 43.

The burner N is controlled by means of a threeway valve R which may, as here shown, be mounted upon the stove front adJacent the usual burner valves S of said stove. A gas supply pipe 41, as shown in Fig. 9, is connected with the intake port 48 oi' the valve R, and when the passage of the rotary valve member 50 is in registration with said port and with an outlet port 5I of said valve, gas will be supplied directly to the burner thru the pipe 29. When the valve member 50 i's disposed in the position shown in Fig. 9, the passage 49 thereof registers with a port 52, from which latter a pipe 53 extends to an automatic valve 54. From the valve 54 a pipe 55 extends to the fuel feed pipe 41. The valve 54 is adapted to be automatically operated by electro-magnetic devices 56 controlled by an electric or other clock T such as usually provided in connection with gas ranges, there being suitable circuit closing means 51, as shown in the diagram in Fig. 10, actuated by the clock for controlling the circuits of the devices 56. The clock may therefore be set to open and close the valve 54 at predetermined times, whereby to eiect control of the heater in a manner similar to that employed in connection with the electric heater of the other form of this invention. To prepare for this automatic control under action of the clock T the operator turns the three-way valve into automatic position as indicated in Fig. 9.

As a means for automatically starting the operation of air induction means 0, I provide a thermostatically operated switch U which is mounted in the compartment M. As soon as the air in said compartment is heated to the point of closing the contacts of the switch U, due to the action of the bi-metallic element 58 thereof, a circuit for the motor of the unit O is established thru the conductor 4|, said motor, conductor 59, resistance element 60, switch U and conductors 6| and 44 to the other line conductor 45. This will start the air circulating means O whereby to circulate heated air into the room. This automatic switch U is of course rendered inoperative when the manual switch 43 is closed, but when said manual switch is open the automatic switch is subject to operation as described. The resistance element 60 is for the purpose of slowing down the action of the air circulating means when the burner is in operation, whereby to insure the heating of the air during its passage thru the chamber or compartment M.

I claim:

1. Heating apparatus comprising a cabinet or the like having a compartment provided with an air inlet and an air outlet which are open to the atmosphere in a room, a heating means intermediate said inlet and outlet means, means for inducing a flow f air thru said compartment, control means for selectively operating said air iiow inducing means and said heating means or for operating the same simultaneously, for discharging air at different temperatures into a room, and a time control mechanism operatively connected with said air flow inducing' means and heating means for automatically initiating and controlling the operation, at predetermined times.

2. In a range a body structure, a drawer having front and rear walls mounted in said structure and provided respectively with an inlet and outlet affording the passage of air thru said body structure and drawer into the room in which the range is installed, and means for inducng a flow of air from said outlet into said room, the front walls of said drawer being coplanar with and forming a part of the front of said body structure and walls in the drawer forming a passageway between the inlet and outlet, certain of said walls being spaced from the side walls of the drawer.

3. In a range a body structure, a drawer mounted in said structure and having an inlet and outlet aiording the passage of air thru said body structure into the room in which the range is installed, means for inducing a iow of air thru said drawer, and a heater operable to heat air passing thru said drawer, said drawer and body structure having co-planar front walls and said outlet being formed in the front wall of said drawer and walls in the drawer extending between the front and rear Walls and being spaced from the side walls of the drawer for forming an air passage between the inlet and outlet, said iiow'inducing means and said heater being positioned within said passage.

HARRY V. MOONEY. 

